John S. Hileman

JOHN S. HILEMAN, a prominent real-estate dealer of Edna, Labette county, Kansas, was born in 1845, in Ohio, and is a son of Daniel and Mary (Huff) Hileman.

Daniel Hileman was born in Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, and was married to Mary Huff in 1837. She was also a native of Pennsylvania. They moved to Ohio in 1837, and in 1860 Mr. Hileman and his brother Michael drove in covered wagons to Andrew county, Missouri, where Mrs. Hileman died in 1881, aged sixty-eight years. After her death, Mr. Hileman moved to Labette county, Kansas, in 1882, and resided on a farm near Oswego, where he died in 1899, aged eighty-five years. He was intensely loyal and enthusiastic in his convictions, and was one of the delegates from Ohio to the convention at Baltimore which nominated James K. Polk for the presidency. He joined the Republican party in 1856, - the passage of the fugitive slave law and the Dred Scott decision having caused him to leave the Democratic party. He and his wife reared seven children, as follows: James E.; Susanna E.; Rebecca; John S.; M. D.; Minerva; and D. 0. James E. was a member of Company I, 16th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., who fell doubly wounded, December 29, 1862, in front of Vicksburg, and died in a rebel prison at Jackson, Mississippi. Susanna E. (Crocket) is a widow, who lives at Lenora, Norton county, Kansas. Rebecca died at the age of eighteen years, in Ohio. M. D. is a farmer near Baxter Springs, Kansas. Minerva died in Missouri, at the age of twelve years. D. 0. lives on the old homestead near Oswego. Six of the children came to Andrew county, Missouri.

John S. Hileman attended the schools of his native state, Ohio, until he reached the age of fifteen years, when his father moved to Missouri, where there were no public schools. When he was seventeen years old, he enlisted, in August, 1862, in Company C, 35th Reg. Mo. Vol. Inf., and served until Richmond fell. He served in the 16th Army Corps, under General Hurlbert, and he was not wounded, although his health became impaired. He was mustered out in May, 1865, at St. Louis, where he donned citizen's clothes and returned home to Andrew county, Missouri, where he remained for some time on the old homestead on the farm. He reviewed his studies in the public schools and attended Stewartville Academy one year, after which he taught school some years in Missouri. After his marriage, in 1868, he farmed until 1883, when he removed to Labette county, Kansas, and bought a farm near the state line. He also bought 200 head of cattle and then followed farming and stock raising until 1896, when he bought property in Edna, moved there and engaged alone in the real-estate business. In December, 1900, he sold his farm. His son was engaged in business with him until the spring of 1900, under the firm name of J. S. Hileman & Son, and then accepted a position as abstractcr and bookkeeper with H. B. Henderson, of Columbus, Kansas. Mr. Hileman is a thorough business man, has honest, upright principles, and deals fairly with all. He has one of the finest homes in Edna, situated on the corner of Delaware and Myrtle streets.

Mr. Hileman married Mary Briggs, and they have three children, namely: Gertrude (Todd), of Oswego, and Lora (Lower), of Abilene, Kansas, both of whom were married December 27, 1899; and Allen Dale, who attended the normal school at Emporia for one year, the Southwest Kansas College at Winfield for two years, and later the Commercial college at Quincy, Illinois, - he is a fine young business man, and has a splendid business training. Mr. Hileman has always been a Republican, and was nominated without his asking and elected to the Kansas legislature, in 1888, for a two years term. He has been commander of Knoxville Post, No. 458, G. A. R., for a number of years, and takes great pleasure in attending state and national encampments and G. A. R. reunions; he looks upon them as the best meetings on earth. He is also a member of the I. 0. 0. F. and M. W. of A. lodges. He belongs to the Sons and Daughters of justice, and the Knights and Ladies of Security, and is one of the promoters of the new order, the Home Builders' Union, in which he is supreme master builder. He and his family attend the Methodist church.